I am nearly 34 years old. I have never flown on an airplane, I’ve never gone on a cruise and… I have never seen snow.
The word “Seasonal” is relative when you live in a place like Florida. The extent of fall foliage color we achieve is dead tree branches on the ground from hurricane Irma a few weeks ago. For a total of 2.5 days in February, all of the leaves will fall off the trees at one time. We have to cover our palm trees and hibiscus bushes up when it dips below 50° and flip flops can be purchased right next to the Christmas décor.
This means that on the rare occasion the temperature DOES drop.. you must take full advantage… and that is why I’ve broken out my favorite chili and fall recipes this week. The weather says it will be 47° this week!!!
So eating “seasonal” may sound a little unnecessary. But that is not the case! Here are 4 reasons you should eat seasonally, and then , a great recipe filled with some seasonal veggies!
- Cost Efficient: Purchasing foods that are in season is an optimal way of eating healthy while on a budget. Foods that are in season are more cost efficient to grow and that savings trickles down to you, the buyer.
- Nutritional Value: Foods that are grown in season tend to be more dense in nutrients. These foods are sold closer to their harvest date, meaning they maintain more of their freshness at the point of sale.
- Taste and quality: When food is harvested from the vine or plant in season, they normally boast a much more flavorful experience. When grown out of season, foods must be stored and transported, meaning extended periods of refrigeration and sometimes chemical treatments to maintain freshness. Eating in season helps eliminate much of that.
- Supports your nutritional needs: Personally, this is one of the primary reasons I started trying to eat more of my food in season. Evolutionally speaking, our bodies have adapted to eating the food that is available at certain times of the year. Have you ever noticed that citrus fruit, with all its Vitamin C, is at it’s peak during flu season? Or that summer vegetables are high in beta-carotene, which protects our skin against the sun’s harmful rays? There are examples of this all through out the plant kingdom. Eating in season gives your body the nutrients it needs, right when it needs them.
Sounds great, right? It’s easier than you think to eat in season. And below, you’ll find a perfect recipe to get you started.
Black Bean and Tomatilla Chili
Ingredients
1 1/2 C black beans
1 1/2 C garbanzo beans
corn off of two ears of corn (or 1 can)
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 yellow onion, diced
4 large carrots, diced into 1/4-1/2″ slices
2 large tomatillos, diced
1lb + of ground turkey or grass fed beef
3 tsp EVOO
1 tbsp. minced garlic
3 tsp chili powder
dash of cayenne
dash of crushed red pepper
dash of salt and pepper
1 avocado (optional topping)
Monterey Jack cheese (optional topping)
Place the first 7 ingredients into a slow cooker. In a large skillet, sauté the garlic in olive oil just until lightly browned. Add the meat and all seasonings and cook until no pink shows. Strain lightly and add to the slow cooker. Cook over low heat for 8 hours. You can add more cayenne or chili powder an hour before serving to get it slightly spicier.
Add either of the optional toppings, I love avocado for the healthy fats you gain from it.
This keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days and can also be placed in the freezer if you choose, just give plenty of time to thaw when you are ready to eat it.
Below are a couple of resources if you want an idea of how to eat seasonally. One of the best ways is to visit a farmer’s market and buy local, this is a 5th benefit to eating this way… you can support your local economy!
Grind & Shine 